Property tax revenue vital

Public goods include the defence force, roads, bridges, street lighting, garbage disposal and drainage, among other administrative and developmental initiatives. Party politics has unfortunately succeeded in making property tax a campaign tool for the former UNC-led People’s Partnership administration.

The result of politicising property tax is a loss in government revenue of over $1 billion. The former administration suffered the Treasury in order to keep an unreasonable campaign promise.

The current PNM administration has taken the necessary steps to keep its campaign promise of reintroducing the property tax.

This is a responsible move by our Government, particularly in our current economic circumstances.

A three percent property tax on the annual rental value of properties with a further ten percent discounted is more than reasonable.

This amounts to an average of $1,200 a year, according to the Minister of Finance.

The Government must be commended for reintroducing this much needed source of revenue that was abandoned by the former administration.

RONALD HUGGINS St Joseph